9781422277591

The authorities soon became displeased with the tone of James’s newspaper. In 1722 he was sent to prison for a month, and Benjamin took charge. More and more often, Silence Dogood’s opinions were published, and the attacks on the colonial authorities continued. In January 1723 the authorities decided that they would not tolerate any more of these articles, and James was forbidden to print or publish the paper. A devious scheme was worked out to allow Benjamin, though strictly still apprenticed to James, to carry on publishing the Courant , by publishing it under his name instead, with the articles toned down so that they would not be found quite so offensive. Finding His Own Way By September of 1723, Benjamin’s writing skills and his personality had developed so much that he was no longer content to serve his brother. Though he felt very guilty about breaking their agreement, Benjamin fled from Boston and arrived in New York three days later. He found no work in New York and moved on to Philadelphia. He arrived tired and hungry, and spent his last few coins on three loaves of bread. As he wandered along the street clutching his bread, he later recalled that a pretty woman standing in a doorway laughed at him.

Scan here to watch a short video about the founding of Pennsylvania and other “middle colonies.”

11